New Beginnings
by Belle.1717
Summary: Starts during the season finale of Season 4 of The Vampire Diaries. Damon. Elena. Read and find out! :)
1. Chapter 1

**Hi guys! I really hope that you enjoy the story! Just a few things that I need to make clear with you! **

**1. The dialogue that I use in the first chapter is mostly from the last episode of Season 4.**

**2. I do not own the Vampire Diaries, nor is the dialogue my own! **

**3. No I am not copying TVD! I simply love the episode and decided that there is no better way to say what was said in the episode! So I give props to the screenwriter/writers of TVD! You did an amazing job in my opinion. **

**4. This is just the beginning of the story! It's how I chose to begin the story and the next chapter will be up soon! **

**I promise that I am not going to continue to use TVD script. As i said it's just the way that I wanted this story to begin. With all that being said emphasis on "I DON'T OWN TVD NOR THE SCRIPT, NOR THE CHARACTERS!" **

**Enjoy! :) Please R&R!**

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**Elena:**

"I wanted to apologize," Damon said turning with a glass of bourbon clutched tightly in his hand to look at me as I walked into his room determined to lecture him about being so stupid as to not take the cure earlier when his life had depended on it. We were lucky that Klaus decided to show up for Caroline. If he weren't so irrevocably in love with her then Damon would be… I couldn't even think the word. What would I do if, after everything we've been through, I lost him?

"Good," I said crossing my arms and glaring at him across the small space that remained between us.

Damon owed me way more than an apology. He was willing to let me live without him all due to his pride and unwillingness to be weak… to be human.

"Let me finish. I said I wanted to," he says staring blankly at the fire burning in front of him and slowly turning to meet my demanding gaze, "and then I realized, I'm not sorry… "

I took a deep frustrated breath grasping what he was saying and trying desperately to remain calm and controlled. "Wait… So you would rather die than be human, and you expect me to be okay with that?" I say as tears swell my eyes at the thought of living in a world without Damon. Even with things as complicated as they are between Stefan, Damon, and I… I can't imagine a world without either of them.

"I didn't say I expected you to be okay with it. I just said I'm not sorry," he said. It's crazy how much his loaded one-liners could frustrate me. "But you know what I really am? Selfish. Because I make bad choices that hurt you. And yes! I would rather die than be human! I'd rather die right now than spend a handful of years with you only to lose you when I'm too old and sick and miserable and you're still you! I'd rather die right now than spend my last final years remembering how happy I was and how good I had it. Because that's who I am, Elena! And I'm not gonna change, and there's no apology in the world that encompasses all the reasons that I am wrong for you!"

I am utterly shocked, and it's in that moment that the cloud of confusion that has been hovering over me lifts. There is no doubt about how I feel, and suddenly the words that I've held back since I turned my emotions back on come flooding out of my mouth.

"Fine. Then I'm not sorry either. I'm not sorry that I met you. I'm not sorry that knowing you has made me question everything! That in death you're the one that made me feel most alive. You've been a terrible person. You've made all the wrong choices and of all the choices that I have made this will prove to be the worst one, but I am not sorry that I am in love with you!" I say looking deep into those bright blue eyes that I love so much. The weight of the words that we've just spoken hangs in the air and the tears begin to swell my eyes yet again. "I love you, Damon."

I see the tears swell in his eyes to and everything feels right in that moment. He crosses the space between us in two confident strides and cups the sides of my face with his strong yet gentle hands and pulls me to him his lips meeting mine in a passion filled, bruising kiss. In that moment, there is no one but Damon and I. Every doubt that I had about us is proven wrong in that kiss, the sire bond, and my feelings for Stefan. There is no wrong or right. There is just us.

**Stefan:**

"I love you, Damon." Elena says.

It's as if right then, in that moment when Elena confirmed her feeling for Damon, the light was ripped from my existence. Elena is the soul reason that I am still me. Her faith, my love for her, it's what brought me back from the brinks of my own personal hell. After Katherine, my life had no meaning. I did what I pleased with no regard for the lives that I took. Humans were weak and existed only for my pleasure and to quench the never-ending thirst that this life brought me.

Then I came to Mystic Falls. Just passing through when I heard the squealing of tires, and the explosion of water as her parents' car submerged in the lake. With the newly found compassion for human life that Lexi gave me, I found myself there, at the scene of the accident. Before I knew it I was in the water trying to save them. Once I reached the car it was clear that the driver and passenger couldn't be saved, but it was as if gravity was pulling me toward the teenage girl in the back seat. The girl who, had I not known better, looked to be Katherine Pierce.

If there was ever a doubt that there was such a thing as a never-ending pain for a vampire, it was removed in that moment. Those four words had just ripped through my undead heart. History was repeating itself, and once again I was on the losing side.

My life. My family. Katherine. Lexi. Elena. I have lost everything that I've ever cared about. Elena was the one. She was my reason to want to keep on living this miserable never-ending existence. Once again, I'd lost her to my brother. This time, however, the sire bond couldn't be an excuse. There's nothing manipulating her feelings. This was real. Right then I wanted nothing more than to not feel this ripping shuttering through me. To not feel this loss again. It hurt too much, and this time there is no one to bring me back. What reason do I have to want to be here anymore? The one reason that I have has just ripped my heart out yet again.

Realization hit me. I have to turn it off. Everything. I have to flip the switch on my emotions. My humanity.

"Now who's eavesdropping?" Lexi said sliding her hand to rest on my shoulder.

The veil between the spirit world and our world is still up. She's still here with me. In that moment, she's the one thing that can keep me centered. Soon though, she'll be ripped away from me again too. Soon I'll be alone. That's one thing that's certain.

"What if Elena… was the one?" I ask Lexi hoping that she can somehow find a way to make me feel at least a moments of peace as she always seems to do. That's one thing about Lexi, she never let's me drown in self-pity. She always knows just what to say and just how much to push me.

"She was. And she will always be an epic love," she says sliding her hand under my chin and turning my face so that I was looking up at her, "Contrary to popular belief there are actually multiple ones- especially for a vampire. The only way to find another is to let go and move on."

"Let's go! Right now! Lets leave this dreadful, miserable town and travel the world! We could go to Europe.. New York! Come on! Just you and me! Like old times!" I say. As I suddenly realize that the hand that I was just gripping for support and comfort is no longer there. My hand rest on my shoulder, and the comfort of my best friend is no longer. The one person who could've brought me comfort and helped me cope is gone. Again.

"You are my epic love…" I whisper. For the first time, I realize that the words I've spoken couldn't be more right. Lexi is the one person in my whole existence that has remained constant and hasn't broken my heart.

She's gone again though, and she wouldn't want me to waste my time grieving for her again. Everything happens for a reason, and yeah it hurts right now, but I'll survive. After all the thing we undead do best is survive…


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I don't own The Vampire Diaries, or any of the characters in it. **

**R&R.**

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**Damon: **

I did it. I got the girl. I am officially the worst brother on the planet, but I got the girl.

I never planned to steal Elena from him! Sure, I did see her first, but I also compelled her to forget me! If he hadn't have let her have her way, and had put protecting her over his own weakness then things would be the same. She would've never died. She would've never came back as a vampire. She would've never remembered the things that I had compelled her to forget. As much as I want to be the un-selfish Damon, if such a side of me even exists, I can't. Because I couldn't be happier that against all odds Elena loves me. She loves me! The "terrible" Salvatore brother, the one that holds no regard to human life- especially when it means getting something that I want!

I couldn't be happier right now. Nothing could make me happier than finally knowing that Elena Gilbert loves me, and there's no sire bond for her to hide her real feelings behind anymore! She truly loves me.

However, as happy as I am right now… I have been on the other side of the happiness for too long not to feel an ache in my cold-heart for my brothers' pain. I watched him for so long with Elena. Knowing that I loved her. Knowing that he was the one who held her heart. Sacrificing my heart time and time again to save her. We've all been through the ringer, but I know my brother. I know that he truly believed that once the sire bond was broken everything would return to the way it was. Elena would be the same, compassionate, stubborn girl that he'd fallen in love with. I know him well enough to know that when he heard those words slip through her lips earlier it tore him apart.

I'm at a loss for words honestly. There is a mental battle going on in my head, and I feel like one of those old cartoons where the main character has an angel on one shoulder and a devil on the other. In my case, however, there is no clear definition of what's good and bad in this situation. What's good for Elena and I is bad for my brother.

Don't get me wrong… I'm much too selfish to give Elena up after all this time that I have yearned for her to be mine, but I don't like that having her is also at my brothers' expense. I just wish there was a way to make everything right. I know all too well, though, that there isn't. Stefan is the most compassionate person that I've ever known and if there were ever a way that he could be with Elena and keep me from hurting he would've found it. There is no way for Elena and I to be together without ripping Stefan apart the way it ripped me apart when she was his.

"What're you thinking about?" Elena says bringing my inner babble to an abrupt end.

She's so beautiful. Words can't do her justice. The way that her skin feels against mine, the way the sun bounces of her skin, and brings light to those amazing chocolate eyes. The color of her eyes defines everything about her. Sweet. Soft. Mouth-wateringly beautiful. Consoling. Irresistible.

"Nothing you need to worry about," I say planting a kiss on the end of her nose playfully.

"Stefan. Am I right?" Elena says knowingly. She doesn't wait for my reply. "How can something feel so right, yet so wrong? I've never been happier, but I've also never felt worse about myself…I wish that you never compelled me to forget you, to forget all the moments that we shared. We could've been together without hurting Stefan so much."

"No. We both know that you don't mean that. You wouldn't want to take back all the moments that you and Stefan shared. You did love him, Elena. You still do. Just not the same way." I say tracing the tips of my finger along her arm.

"I'm selfish for it, but you're right. I'll always love Stefan, but the way I love him and the way I love you is so different. I wouldn't want him to forget us, but I also know that he doesn't deserve to suffer. All he ever did was love me, and this is how I repay him…" she says gesturing toward me.

"I know exactly what you mean…" I say trailing off. This is the last way that I want to spend the night after such an amazing day. The conversation has turned into a buzz-kill. I need to do something. I can't let her dwell on this, or pretty soon she'll be trying to convince herself that she doesn't deserve to have either of us. Typical Elena move. "I have the perfect idea."

"Alright, I'm clueless. What are you up to?" Elena asks looking up at me through her lashes.

"We're getting the hell outta dodge!" I answer with a smirk, and a crooked smile.

And just like that, I'm running around the room at the speed of light packing all that I can find. I pack everything because right now I'm not sure where we are going, or how long we'll be gone. Elena had no objections to my idea. She doesn't seem to care where we are headed either, just as long as it's us and no one else. No one who can remind her of the pain that we are bringing him. After all, her friends are completely against any future for Elena that involves us together. They are Team Stefan all the way, though, they should know that only pushes Elena farther towards Team Damon. Since Elena has become a vampire she's changed, and her wild, rebellious side is the more abundant side now unlike when she was human.

"Damon?" she calls from her room. "What exactly should I pack? Beach clothes? Hiking appropriate clothes? Formal attire?"

"Everything. Just pack everything!" I reply. "And Elena?"

"Yes, Damon?" she says. I can hear the excitement in her voice.

"Hurry."

**Elena:**

****I can't describe the weight that lifted off my chest as we pass the sign saying that we are no longer in Mystic Falls. I don't know where we are going and quite frankly I don't think Damon does either, and there's something about the not knowing that excites me! We can go anywhere in the world. No limits. Money is definitely not a problem, not with Damon around. Plus, vampires don't really need money, not when we can compel people.

This will be a whole new adventure. I'll finally begin to experience the extravagance and pleasure that comes with being a vampire. The problems will be in Mystic Falls when I get back, but for now I'm forgetting about everything. The only exceptions being Damon. Me. And the feeling of the wind blowing through my hair as we drive into the night in Damon's sexy blue convertible.

The possibilities are endless...

One thing, however, is for sure... With Damon by my side, this trip is sure to be everything that the new Elena craves.

Wild.

Wreck-less.

And Unforgettable.


	3. Chapter 3

**Alright, guys. I'm going to try and update pretty fast. Please keep R&R. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own TVD or any of the characters. **

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**Stefan:**

I walk into the Mystic Grill, and it's as if nothing has happened. Everything feels the same here. It feels normal. No one knows the pain that is pulsing through my body, tearing at my heart. Here I can pretend like my whole world didn't just come crashing down last night.

I walk over to the bar and order a glass of their best bourbon.

"And keep it coming," I add as I lean against the bar for support while I slide onto a stool.

"A little early for that, isn't it?" I look over to find Matt Donovan sliding onto the stool next to mine.

"Not today. Or…anytime soon for that matter." I reply finishing off the rest of my bourbon and sitting my glass on the bar signaling for a refill.

"Want to talk about it?" he asks turning his head enough so he can see me.

"Honestly, no. But hell, everyone's going to find out sooner or later so why the hell not!" I say gulping down my second glass of bourbon, and signaling for a third. "The sire bond is broken. It has been since Elena tried to kill you, and Damon snapped your neck to get her to turn her emotions back on."

"So, what's wrong? Isn't that what you wanted? Why isn't she with..." he says stopping himself when he realizes why I'm here and she's not.

"Yeah. It didn't turn out like we thought it would. She confessed her un-dying love for Damon last night. Told him that in death no one ever made her feel more alive… Guess I didn't realize I was such a buzz-kill in her eyes." I say.

By this time the bartender has set the bottle beside my glass so I can help myself, obviously noticing my mood, and not wanting to stand there and continuously pour me more bourbon.

"Join the club man. Elena Gilbert strikes again, and leaves behind yet another tortured, heart-broken guy. It really sucks, but you'll get over it, Stefan. At least you're a vampire and you don't have to stay in the same miserable town and go to the same school as her. Talk about not being able to get over someone! How can you when you see someone that you love everyday, and you have the same friends? The fact that she doesn't love you back doesn't help either. It only makes you want her more. She's now something that you can't have, and it'll drive you insane if you hang around here." he says and suddenly I'm not the only one drinking away my sorrows.

By five o'clock Matt is driving me home, he's in a much better state to drive than I am. I'm leaning heavily against passenger door of his truck depending on it to hold me into a sitting position.

"You know what drives me crazy the most about this?" I ask turning my head slowly to an angle where I can see him. He nods gesturing for me to go on with my ranting. "What did I do wrong? How did I chase her away from me, and into Damon's arms? Was it because I cared too much? Too deeply? Because I loved her with every ounce of my being?"

"It's not your fault Stefan. There's nothing that you could've done different. She knows how much you love her. Elena's different. She's not the same Elena that we loved. When she came back from the dead, it's like something inside her just clicked. In some ways she's the same, but in others she's someone that I don't even recognize." he says as he turns down the long drive that leads to my house.

Walking through the door brings everything crumbling down. I walk straight to the cellar and grab some of Damon's ancient bourbon. He would be pissed if he knew that I was drinking his prized bourbon, but I figure it's the least he can do. It's far from a fair trade, but it'll have to do for now.

I want to drink away every last memory of Elena. I want the pain to end. I want to be able to look around the room and not see her everywhere. It's as if the whole house is a constant reminder of what used to be, hell I'm a constant reminder of what used to be. My arms ache to hold her. My lips long to brush against hers. My cheek craves the feel of her long, dark, silky hair. Every part of me aches. I'm an empty shell without her.

I grab for something, anything that I can break, that I can hurl across the room. Just as my hands find the edge of my bedside table, there's a soft knock at the door.

I'm in no mood for company, but I decide to humor myself. I open the door and I'm immediately stunned into silence. A girl with long, dark brown curls stands before me. Her head is turned away so I can see nothing of her face, but the girl is clearly crying.

"Are you hurt?" I ask taking a step toward her. Although I don't think that's the case, at least physically, because I can hear the strong beating that comes from her heart.

"No. I'm human," the girl says turning to face me.

Katherine. What the hell? My mind can't process what's going on. Katherine is human? How? The last thing Katherine Peirce would ever do is cure her self of vampirism.

"Human? How?" I say.

"You can thank your precious Elena," she says. "Are you gonna make me stand out here all night or are you going to let me in?"

"First, what're you even doing here Katherine?" I ask crossing my arms over my chest.

"Well, Stefan, I don't really have anywhere else to go. Elijah left me. Everyone else hates me. You're all I have left," she says looking down vulnerably.

This is wrong. Katherine is far from the vulnerable type. She has no heart. No care in the world, so she can't be vulnerable. Now, she's standing at my door telling me I'm all she has left… This is more than likely some kind of trap. I should tell her to hit the road and to never come back, because one thing that certain is Katherine hasn't been voluntarily welcomed by my brother or I into our home for centuries. She tore everything apart. She's the reason that this miserable excuse for a life was our only choice of survival. She tore me apart. She was the first person to break my heart…but there's something about her words..."You're all I have left" that captures me somewhere deep beneath the marred flesh that's now my heart.

I have nothing left, and I'm all she has. As much as I've grown to hate her, I can't shut her out. Who knows maybe her being here will at least take away some of the emptiness I'm feeling. God, I'm just begging for more heartbreak! What the hell is wrong with me? Oh, who the hell knows, but I can't ignore the fact that she's human and Klaus will be seeking her out so he can kill her slowly and painfully. Hell, the whole supernatural world is probably fighting over who gets to end her miserable life. Not that I should give a damn, but what have I got to lose?

So, I make a decision that I'll more than likely regret, and I let her in.


	4. Chapter 4

******Disclaimer: I don't own TVD. Nor do I own any of the ****characters.**

**I tried to upload ASAP, and I will continue to do so! Thank you so much for reading.**

**R&R. **

**Enjoy.**

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**Damon: **

Elena has slept most of the way. I've tried my best not to wake her, but it hasn't been easy. My excitement might be a little too much for her to handle. I haven't been on a real "vacation" or get away since I stole her away after her wreck and took her to Georgia. It was fun, but this time around will definitely be better. She's coming voluntarily this time. She wants this. She wants me. Hell, she loves me! Me! After all the terrible things that I've done, she chose me. It's still hard to wrap my head around. This is really happening. I got the girl. I didn't bribe or charm her, though how could she not be charmed by me? I'm kind of irresistible. Women like a man who knows what he wants and has a twisted since of humor, and my good looks are just part of the bonus package.

She looks so peaceful leaning against the door, her arms wrapped around her knees. Yeah, I could definitely get used to this…

**Elena: **

"Oohhhh…barracuda!"

My eyes flutter open; I'm awakened from a deep sleep by Damon's singing. I watch for a while as he continues to sing and dance to Heart's "Barracuda." I can't stare un-noticed for long, however, because pretty soon he has me giggling uncontrollably.

"Well, good morning, sleepy head! Nice to see you smiling! What ever could be the reason?" he says smiling crookedly at me.

"My, my, my I must say Mr. Salvatore your singing and dancing skills are quite impressive." I reply with a smile.

"Why thank you, madam. I do try," he says smirking.

"Should that be our first activity on the agenda? Hit the clubs and go dancing?" I say.

" Whatever you want, Elena. However, I do have an activity that I think you will enjoy planned for tomorrow evening," he says turning to me with a soft smile spreading across his lips.

I can't bring myself to stay on my side of the car any longer. I rotate myself so I'm sitting on my knees and lean over to plant a quick peck on his lips, but he has other plans. He takes one hand off the wheel and fists it into my hair pulling me to him. It's intense. Sexy. I force myself to break it all too soon though, because the last thing I want right now is to wind up in a car accident and have to explain why the car is torn to hell, but we are both unharmed.

"Mmm.. There's always more where that came from," he says winking at me.

We pull into the Western Peachtree Plaza a few hours later. A valet greets us as we pull through the entrance. He calls for another employee, who takes our bags from the car and disappears into the plaza. As the valet pulls away to park the car Damon leads me through the entrance and tells me to look around while he gets us checked in.

This place is amazing. It's got a modern vibe, and everything is decorated around that theme. There are no walls on the outside of the building just floor-to-ceiling windows, and the view of the city is amazing. As I get lost in the city lights, and the architecture of the surrounding buildings Damon walks up behind me and wraps his arms around me. He leans his head down to kiss the nape of my neck at the start of my shoulder. It sends chills down my spine.

"Are you ready to go to the room, and get ready for the big night we have ahead of us? Or would you rather stay and enjoy the view?" he asks stepping away and curling his fingers through mine.

As much as I'm enjoying this amazing view, I'm excited to spend a night out clubbing with Damon. If there's one thing that Damon knows how to do, it's have a good time. So I let him lead me to the presidential suite that he informed me would be ours for as long as I wanted to stay in Atlanta before we continue to the next random spot of our adventure. If the lobby was amazing then I can't think of a word to describe this suite. I've never seen a suite quite like this one, and there's no telling how much this room costs. King size bed, T.V. with all the channels you could dream of, fully equipped kitchen, and a bathroom with a Jacuzzi tub and a huge walk-in shower. I could totally get used to this.

I shower and change into a cute pair of black shorts, a sparkly silver tank top, and a pair of black wedges. Damon goes for casual with jeans and a white V-neck shirt, with a black blazer. He looks good…really good. As soon as we are both ready, we leave the plaza and head to a nearby club called HEAT. It's supposedly the hottest club in Atlanta. We order a few drinks and don't hesitate to head to the dance floor.

The strobe lights are bouncing off the walls, and the way it plays on Damon's skin while he dances is enchanting. We dance for hours without tiring. That's one of the perks of being a vampire, you don't ever need to sleep, you just sleep out of habit. We bumped and grinded against each other, letting the music take control.

We danced.

And we danced.

And we danced.

We finally stopped when we realized that we were the only ones left dancing, and the employees were starting to clean up. We got into the convertible and drove to a peach orchard just outside of town. We leaned the seats back and lay there looking at the stars. There was no need for words; we were both enjoying looking at the stars.

"Elena?" Damon whispered not taking his eyes away from the beautiful night sky.

"Hmm?" I replied.

"I never thought that we would be here, you know. Well, I won't say I never thought, because I thought about it all the time. I just never saw…this," he said reaching over and entwining his fingers through mine, "coming. You said once, well actually quite a few times, that it would always be Stefan, and I believed you. I was ready to let you go, to let you be happy. Then when you went over that bridge, everything changed. All of the sudden you didn't want me to let you go. You deserve so much better, but I don't have it in me to walk away from you again. So, I'm here as long as you want me. Forever, if you'll have me."

"Damon, I'm sorry. I know that I've put you and Stefan through so much, and caused you both so much pain. You're wrong. I don't deserve better, I don't deserve you at all. You put up this wall, and hide yourself from everyone. All the terrible things that you've done, the bad boy routine, it's all a mask to hide the real you. I know that there's more to you than the bloodlust, the anger, and the quirks. Deep down you have a huge heart, and you feel more deeply than anyone I know. That's what I love about you, Damon, and I want you for as long as I can have you."

In that moment, it's just us, looking up at the universe stretched out endlessly before us. There's no doubt in my mind that Damon was always the brother I was meant to be with. If he had never compelled me to forget him, and Stefan hadn't been my shoulder to cry on when I needed someone the most, then it would've always been Damon. It's been so complicated, but there's also no regret. I don't regret loving Stefan, because I did love him and it was epic, but now it's Damon's turn and I know that though this may be the worst decision right now, it will prove to be the best.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I don't own TVD, nor do I own the characters. **

**R&R. **

**Enjoy.**

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**Stefan:**

I'm startled awake by a loud crashing sound coming from downstairs. I jump out of bed and run down the stairs. I search the library, the den, the living room, but I find the source of the noise in the kitchen. Katherine is hurriedly cleaning up a mess of what seems to be chocolate, and an array of other foods.

"Ahhhh!" she screams.

"What the hell, Katherine? Why are you screaming?" I ask my voice tight and controlled.

"You scared me! Geez, can you at least make some noise, let someone know that you are in the room?" she said continuing to clean the chocolaty mess.

"Oh, that's right you don't have your enhanced hearing on your side anymore do you?" I smirk.

"Just…Go away, Stefan. Please," she says wiping at her face.

For the first time since I walked into the kitchen, I realize that she's crying. Katherine Pierce, the soulless bitch, is crying. What the hell is this?

"Oh! Wait this is a Nikon moment! Katherine Pierce sheds tears! Not fake, manipulative tears, but real tears!" I say sarcastically.

"God, Stefan. I know that I have been horrible to you, but you don't have to be such a jerk!" she says sobbing and runs out of the kitchen to the couch, where she has made a makeshift bed.

I should feel like crap about myself, and normally, well with anyone else, I would but after all the pain that Katherine has caused me I don't. I walk out of the kitchen, turning out the light on my way, and back to bed. I close my eyes but this time rest doesn't come so easily. I can't stop thinking about my confrontation with Katherine. She was crying, and that's not something you see everyday. Not that I should care, I don't of course, but I do feel like a jerk. Just because Katherine is a full time bitch doesn't meant that I should follow her example. Katherine is aware of all the pain she's put me through, and I've reminded her every chance I could possibly get. She deserved it. She did it to herself. I, however, am not the guy that makes people feel worse about themselves, no matter what those people have done to hurt me.

If Elena needed me right now I would cross the country for her, but what makes what Katherine and Elena did so different? Elena did truly love me, but she chose my brother. Katherine never loved me, and manipulated my brother and I into loving her at the same time. They both committed the same crime, it hurt just as much, but they had different methods of issuing the pain. Katherine's crime was much worse, and she did it purposefully. As much as I want to be mad at Elena, she didn't purposefully fall for my brother. I know that. Deep down. However, it doesn't change the fact that she has ripped my heart out in every way possible.

I have to go to Katherine. See if she needs to talk about what's bothering her. I'm all she has, and as much as I hate it, at the moment she's all I have. She's going through something seriously new and scary to her, so I have to do what I would do for anyone in her situation. So, yes, I am walking back down the stairs for the second time tonight to comfort the vampire who made my existence a living hell.

"Katherine? Look, I'm sorry for being a jerk. I know that you are experiencing a change that is terrifying to you. Do you want to talk about it?" I ask walking over to sit next to her on the couch.

"Stefan, you don't have to be chivalrous… I don't deserve it. You've made that clear, and I don't blame you for hating me. Honestly, I hate me, too," she says burying her face in the blanket.

"Katherine, you aren't my favorite person in the world. That's no secret, but right now we're in the same boat. I'm all you have. You're all I have. It's the sad, honest to God, truth." I say lifting her feet onto my lap.

"It's just that I'm overwhelmed with all of these emotions and urges that I haven't experienced in over two centuries. It's all so new, and it terrifies me to know that I'm so vulnerable and weak. Alone. Elijah left me. He went off hoping for reconciliation with Klaus. The one person who has loved me unconditionally for two centuries and believed I was redeemable gave up on me just when I was ready to change for him. I was changing, Stefan, believe it or not. I felt awful for killing that Jeremy kid. It was nasty, and I'm sorry that I went that far. I wanted to finally stop running and give up the normal "Katherine lifestyle." I wanted to give up the only lifestyle I'd ever known to be with Elijah. I was so tired of it all. I saw what Elena had, and I wanted it for myself. She had a great life, and everyone in it loved her. I envied that more than anything. I was ready to kill her for it after Elijah left me. It was like ever since Elena came around my life had been a living hell, and she was getting all of my luck. Everything was going wrong for me, and right for her. It wasn't fair, not when I was trying so hard to change. To be better," she said starting to sob again. "I'm sorry I just can't get a handle on human emotions. I just can't stop crying. I feel so weak…"

"I hope that you can change, Katherine. You'll never have a good life if you don't. No one can have a good life running from their feelings, and anyone they begin to care for. I'm sorry to hear about Elijah. And you're wrong about Elena, you know. She hasn't had the best life. Where as you choose to run from people who love you, she's had every person who loves her ripped away from her. She's strong, but not that strong. She's fallen apart, and she's not the same Elena anymore. The only people she has left are her friends. The people who meant the most to her are all dead. So, like I said you're wrong about her. As for the emotions, you can probably get a better handle on them once you get some rest. Try and get some sleep," I say getting up from the couch and turning to go back to my room, hopefully for the final time tonight.

Just as I round the corner toward the stairs Katherine calls out for me.

"Stefan?" she asks quietly.

"Yeah, Katherine?" I reply just loud enough for her human ears to hear.

"Thank you for listening. I know that you didn't have to come back down after earlier, and… I just want you to know that I appreciate it. For what it counts, I'm sorry about Elena," she whispers.

I turn to go up the stairs and already I hear a quiet snore coming from the couch. I lay across my bed and fall soundlessly to sleep.

I dream of a time centuries ago in 1864. I dream of Katherine. Katherine running and laughing carelessly in her corseted, flowing gown across the Salvatore garden. Katherine and I dancing at the Founders Ball. Katherine curls bouncing, running across the property to where I'm standing on the porch. Katherine sneaking into my room one late night.

Katherine revealing her true self, a vampire, to me.

Katherine, in my brothers bed.

Katherine turning me.

Katherine leaving me.

Elena.

Pulling her from her parents' car.

Elena on the first day of school.

Elena finding out what I am.

Elena fighting for me.

Elena pulling me back from the hell that was, The Ripper.

Elena and I making love.

Pulling Elena, dead, from Matt's truck.

Elena waking up a vampire.

Elena in my brothers bed.

Elena leaving me.

"_I love you, Damon," "I….love you, Damon." "I. Love. You. Damon." _

I'm jolted awake from haunting memory of the last words I heard Elena speak. They keep playing over and over in my head.

She's gone. She left me. For my brother.

Realization hits, and it's as if she's ripping my heart out all over again.


	6. Chapter 6

**I'm so sorry it's taken me so long.. I have been soooo busy! I promise to try and do better! t**

**Thank you so much for reading and reviewing and please continue to do so! **

**Disclaimer: I don't own TVD or any of the characters! **

**R&R. **

**Enjoy.**

* * *

**Damon: **

"Alright, alright. I'll tell you what I have planned for our last night in Atlanta…" I say looking at Elena out of the corner of my eyes.

"Giving in so easily?" she says smirking, "I would've gone to extreme methods to pry the answer from you… It could've been…quite fun for you actually, but that's just too bad! Tell me!"

"Oh, on second thought, you prying the answer from me could be…interesting seeing as the lengths that you would have to go to are…quite extreme…" I say lounging across the king size bed of our suite.

God, I never knew one woman could have so much power over me. With the flick of her finger she has me coming and her every beck and call.

"Oh, Damon, you mistake me for someone who can be manipulated…" she says crawling onto the bed and slowly, seductively towards me.

She slides her hands slowly up my legs until she makes it to my chest. Then, she grasps my favorite black, silk shirt and rips it apart exposing my chest.

"So I take it this isn't a result of my manipulation…at all? This is you not trying to pry the answer from me?" I say smirking.

"Get some clothes on before we're late… Don't want to miss those Braves!" she says laughing.

"How did you find out?" I ask confused. I hadn't told her a single thing about tonight's plans and I'd planned to keep it that way.

"You're not the only one who can get into peoples dreams you know… I've learned a new trick that will definitely come in handy!" she said smirking. "Now, come on! I don't want to be late for the game!"

We've got the best seats on the field, right behind the home dugout. There's no better place to enjoy a game of baseball than right there on that third base line. You can see everything. Every hit, every throw, every bobble. It's an amazing view, and I think Elena is enjoying the game just as much as I am. She seems to be fonder of baseball than football, and that makes her all the more perfect for me.

I had my fair share of days playing baseball. I used to be an Atlanta Brave myself. Though I didn't talk about my time as a Brave much, it was definitely one of my favorite memories of this life. I loved the game, and I also gave the Braves a great season.

It was intermission so they turned on the game camera, and I was sure that it would make it's way over to Elena and I. The dugout was normally one of the first few places that they aimed it. Sure enough, the camera made it's way to Elena and I on the third shot, and as soon as she noticed I made my move. I kissed her passionately, so passionately that it probably was a sin. The moment was ruined, however, by the ringing of Elena's phone.

She looked down and announced that it was Jeremy. Then her eyes got big.

"Elena, maybe you shouldn't answer that. That can't be Jeremy. The veil was closed. He's gone back to the other side." I say hoping that she doesn't get her hopes up, and is thinking rationally.

"Damon…What if Bonnie did a spell? What if he's back? What if my brother is alive?" she said and before I could stop her, she answered.

"Jerr?" she exclaimed.

"Elena, I need to tell you something…" I overheard him say.

There was something in his voice that just didn't sound right. If he was indeed alive then he should be ecstatic, but I could hear the unsteadiness in his voice. He was trying to hold it together, and was not far from failing miserably.

"Jerr, how are you calling me? What's wrong? Did the veil not go up like we thought?" she said frantically looking for a solution for the reason behind his unsteadiness.

"Elena, Bonnie did a spell and she brought me back," he said and before he could say anything else he was interrupted.

"Jerr! You're back! I don't have to be alone anymore! You're alive! Really alive! I don't know how I'll ever repay Bonnie. Where is she? Let me talk to her! I have to thank her!" she said as all sorts of emotions hit her at once.

**Elena:**

"Elena, there's something you should know. Bonnie wasn't really there on Graduation day." he said.

"What do you mean? Of course she was! We all graduated together. She went on stage and hugged her dad, and walked off stage with her diploma." I said trying to make sense of what he said. He must be confused; I mean he did just come back from the dead. That has to take a toll on someone.

"Elena, she was there but her body wasn't. She was a ghost. Bonnie is dead. The spell to lower the veil was too much for her." he said calmly. "She didn't want me to tell you, she said that for the first time in forever her friends were happy and she didn't want to take that away, but I couldn't stand it. She deserves to have a funeral with all the people she loves. Her family deserves some closure and so do we. She thought her friends not knowing was best, but she doesn't deserve the anger you'd feel when you never heard from her again."

Everything froze in that moment. I could barely make out the words that Jeremy was saying. I couldn't breathe. I couldn't move. I was frozen. I could feel Damon shaking me, but I ignored it. I didn't want to feel anything right now. Nothing. My best friend in the whole entire world was dead. People just couldn't stop dying around me. Something had to be wrong with me. I got my brother back, but I couldn't stand losing him again. There would be nothing left of me for Damon and Stefan to save. I would be an empty shell. I knew what I had to do. I'd done it before, and I had to do it again if I didn't want all the grief and emotions that I didn't want to feel.

I closed my eyes. Willing myself not to think of the words Jeremy said. I thought of nothing except envisioning the switch that would end all the pain that was sure to overwhelm me within minutes.

I saw it.

I imagined myself walking toward it.

I reached for it.

I could feel my fingers closing around it.

I could end it right here. I could ensure that I wouldn't have to bear the weight of all the pain that came with losing another person close to me, because it wouldn't just be the pain that I felt from losing Bonnie, it would be all the pain that I was blocking out from every loss I'd ever suffered.

I knew what I could handle, and I couldn't take it anymore.

I wanted nothing more than to feel nothing.

No one could fix this.

Not Damon.

Not Stefan.

Not Jeremy.

Not Caroline.

No one.

But I could…

So I did what any rational person in my situation would do…

I flipped the switch.


	7. Chapter 7

******Thank you guys so much for reading! I really hope that you are enjoying the story. **

**Please review and let me know your thoughts! **

**Disclaimer: I don't own TVD or any characters. **

**R&R.**

**Enjoy.**

* * *

**Stefan: **

This week with Katherine hasn't been that bad, surprisingly. Besides being bitter at Elena for taking her vampire lifestyle away from her, human Katherine is actually not that hard to be around. She's a lot more emotional to be around, but that's way better than the other option. No one likes to deal with an emotionless bitch, and let's just face it that's exactly what Katherine has been for most of her life.

She keeps out of my way, and to herself for the most part. She doesn't bother me, doesn't say much, she just does her own thing and leaves me to mine. I appreciate it, because I'm afraid that in the state I'm in if she pissed me off I would probably eat her.

I'm just about to make my way down the stairs when my phone rings. I look at the Caller I.D. and it's Damon. What the hell does he want? I know I told him that I was not-not happy for him, but that doesn't mean things get to go right back to the way they were.

I reach for my phone, and suddenly I feel wet, like I'm surrounded in water. I'm shocked back into reality. My reality, and it's not pretty… I'm not at the boarding house. I don't think that I ever was, at least not since the night that I went with Lexi to bury Silas. Wait! I remember everything. The spell broke, he says Bonnie's dead, and he showed me his true face. I thought he was another one, like Katherine and Elena, but it was worse. He looked like me. I'm his doppelganger. Then he stabbed me and shoved me into the safe.

I'm completely underwater, luckily I don't need to breathe, but how long have I been here? How long has it been? I will my arms to try and break out of the safe, but they don't respond. There must be very little blood in my system; I can't remember the last time I fed. Soon, I'll be vegetative. I won't be able to move. I won't be able to think. It normally takes weeks but I don't know how long I've been here. Hopefully Silas will mess up and someone will realize it's not me and come looking, but the only person who knows where I buried him is Damon.

Great, my existence is in the hands of my brother yet again, but wait… Katherine. Was what I was experiencing real? Did I somehow manage to get into her dreams? Soon I wouldn't have the strength to project myself, but I had to try.

**Katherine:**

"Stefan?" I say confused.

I've been all over the house and I can't find him. He hasn't left here for days. He's actually taking the 'self pity party' to a whole new level. Oh, well he probably got hungry and went out to feed, and I'm grateful because Stefan isn't good with loss and grief and I was likely to be his next meal any day now.

I spend most of the day lounging around watching the latest soap opera's because I honestly have nothing better to do. They actually aren't that bad. Well, I say they but the only one I'm even getting into is General Hospital.

I'd just finished the latest episode when I realized the time. It's after ten. I curl up on the couch, and before I know it I'm lost and slipping into the abyss of a deep sleep…

"_**Katherine!" Stefan yells as he grabs my arms and pulls me into a standing position.**_

I am jolted awake. It was just a dream. Stefan isn't anywhere to be found, and I'm still curled up on the couch. It felt so real… I'm seriously getting worried. Stefan doesn't just disappear, especially when he's depressed. Stefan doesn't go anywhere when he's depressed. He normally doesn't even care enough to feed and control his urges.

I walk into the kitchen to make myself a cup of coffee, only when I opened the cabinet there was nothing there. I checked the fridge just incase Stefan, for some odd reason moved it, but the fridge was completely empty except for a few blood bags. I was confused. Just yesterday there was an abundance of human food here, and now it's all gone… What the hell? Stefan wouldn't have touched it, and I'm the only human who's been here in weeks. Something was off, really off.

I walked over to the sink to find it empty. Odd, seeing as I'd just left a sink full of dirty dishes the other day, and I know that Stefan didn't decide to play housewife and wash them for me.

What the hell was going on? I walked up the stairs to Stefan's room to check and see if I could find any clues to where he might've gone, but I found nothing. The sheets were perfectly made as if no one had slept there for days.

I moved on to Damon's room, where I'd been sleeping since I arrived here a few days ago, and the bed looked as if it hadn't been touched. It was perfectly made, and un-rumpled.

I don't know what's going on, but whatever it is-is beyond weird. This house looks as if no one has been here in weeks, but Stefan and I have… Maybe I've gone psycho, completely bonkers. I just need to go to sleep and things will get better in the morning once I've rested. This human brain is so fragile it must be that I haven't gotten enough rest. Yes, that's it. It has to be.

I turn out the lights and crawl into Damon's bed. I look around the room warily. I just can't help feeling like something is really wrong. I turn towards the window where a calm breeze lulls me once again into a much-needed sleep.

_**I roll over and open my eyes to find Stefan lying across from me on Damon's bed. **_

"_**Stefan?" I ask. "Where the hell have you been all day? I know we aren't on the best terms, but you could let me know when you're going out so I won't worry when you don't turn up for hours at a time!" I scold him. **_

"_**Katherine…You have to listen to me. This is going to sound crazy, but these past few days haven't been real. I haven't been here with you like you think I have," he says barely finishing the last sentence before I cut him off. **_

"_**Stefan, you're talking crazy. Where have you been today? Are you drunk?" I ask eying him warily. **_

"_**No. Katherine. Listen, I have been here, but not in reality. I've been projecting myself into your dreams without even knowing it. I thought it was reality too, at first. These past few days with me have only occurred in your dreams. You must have still been going through the transformation. It's all been a dream. You have to believe me. I don't have much time to explain this to you," he said taking my face into his hands. **_

"_**Okay. Explain." I say waiting for him to continue. **_

"_**When I went to bury Silas with Lexi, Bonnie raised the veil so I ended up being alone. I pulled the stone carcass out of the back of my car and threw it on the ground, and grabbed the safe I planned to bury him in. Only the stone carcass was broken and Silas wasn't inside. He said the spell that made him stone was bound by Bonnie and when Bonnie died the spell was broken. He stabbed me and threw me into the safe and over into the quarry. There's something you need to know about the way Silas looks.."**_

Footsteps coming up the stairs wake me. I freeze. The footsteps pause right outside the room. I'm human with no way of defending myself. What the hell am I going to do if it's not someone I know, but still even then…What if Klaus knows and he's come to finish me off once and for good…

The door knob jiggles, and the door slowly opens. My breathing quickens. The light flicks on. My heart races. Oh. Thank god. It's only Stefan.

**Stefan: **

I was telling Katherine everything, and she was starting to believe me. I was just about to tell her the most important part, but she vanished and I found myself surrounded in the total darkness of the safe.

She needs to know that I'm Silas' doppelganger. That he looks like me, just as Elena looks like her.


	8. Chapter 8

**Alright guys, this is a rather short chapter, but I have so much going on right now! I promise I will continue to work on this story, but just please bare with me! **

**Disclaimer: I don't own TVD. Nor any of the characters. **

**Please, Please, Please REVIEW! It really helps me, and your reviews are GREATLY appreciated! **

**R&R. **

**Enjoy.**

* * *

**Damon:**

Well, it's officially safe to say that this trip to Georgia has definitely not outdone the last trip. I honestly have no idea how it could get much worse. Elena finally chooses me and even willingly runs off with me, hell actually it might as well have been her idea to run off, and everything is going great until she gets on lousy call saying her best friend in the world is dead from her supposed to be dead brother. Then click, emotions off, here we go all over again.

Last time it took months to get her back and I had to "kill" her best friend/ex right in front of her to bring her back. What the hell is it going to take to bring her back to me this time? I tried calling Stefan but it goes straight to voicemail, not that this is his problem, or that he would be much of a help seeing as I was the one who had to do what it took to bring her back the last time not him. He would never dream of crushing Elena like that, but I, on the other hand, am just selfish enough to do whatever it takes to help Elena when she needs it. I don't care if it hurts her as long as she's going to be okay in the long run.

First thing is first, though; I need to get her out of here and back to Mystic Falls.

"Elena, let's go. We're leaving." I say getting up and walking down the isle.

"Oh, come on, Damon. Live a little. Show me a good time. It could be fun… the possibilities are endless.." Elena says turning to a man behind us and leaning in to "kiss" his neck, or at least that's what it looked like to everyone else.

She clearly wasn't going to leave willingly, so I made the choice for her. I walked idly back down the isle and threw her over my shoulder.

"As fun as that sounds, Elena, we've been through this once before… You can't have a good time without grieving for it later. You suck at being a vampire. Trust me, I'm only doing you a favor." I say as we walk through the gate toward the car.

"Come on, Damon. We both know what's next on the agenda. You're going to try and drag me to Mystic Falls so you and Stefan can drag some feelings back into me. Sorry. You won't get the results you're looking for. You aren't enough to make me want to feel. Who knows maybe Katherine had the right idea about life, using you and Stefan as my own personal boy toys has it's perks, or who knows maybe I'll find a new toy to play with, she says seductively.

"Elena, sweetheart, forgive me." I say.

"For what?" she says eying me curiously.

I reach across the car and put my hands on the sides of her face and lean in for a kiss and just as our lips meet I snap her neck.

"For that," I say.

Silence is truly golden. Especially when you're girlfriend decides to go bipolar and shut off her feelings. It was nasty, but necessary.

Elena was right about one thing, it would be a lot more difficult than last time, but when I want something, I get it. It would be hard for Stefan, but I'll do whatever it takes without a thought of remorse for it. I have waited for Elena long enough, and there's no way that I'm letting her shut herself off from me so easily. I'll bring her back. It won't be pleasantly, but I'll bring her back.


End file.
